Donate today to keep Global Voices strong!

Our global community of volunteers work hard every day to bring you the world's underreported stories -- but we can't do it without your help. Support our editors, technology, and advocacy campaigns with a donation to Global Voices!

UPDATE (January 30, 2014): Yesterday, Coursera posted an update on site accessibility in sanctioned countries. While Coursera services in Cuba, Iran, and Sudan remain blocked, access for Syrian users has been restored due to anexception that “authorizes certain services in support of nongovernmental organizations’ activities in Syria, particularly as they pertain to increasing access to education.”

Hit by US sanctions, online learning platform Coursera is no longer available for students from Syria, Sudan, Iran and Cuba. Those affected were surprised to have the following message on their screen as they tried to access their courses:

Our system indicates that you are trying to access the Coursera site from an IP address associated with a country currently subjected to US economic and trade sanctions. In order for Coursera to comply with US export controls, we cannot allow you to access to the site.

Between the censorship imposed by the regime, which includes blocking hundreds of internet sites, and the effect of US sanctions, it has become nearly impossible for the remaining youth in the country to have access to online learning.

Editor-in-chief at Wamda Nina Curley was more pragmatic in her approach and asked if it was inevitable:

Was this inevitable? A new solution is needed. Online education platform Coursera blocks students in Syria and Iran: http://t.co/LPizvB61mL